| Synopsis | Review | Quotes |

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Synopsis:  Episode opens on a rocky planet with a number of twenty-something scientists performing an excavation on the Stargate.  Just as they're removing another stone from over the gate, one of the chevrons lights up.  Holy Hannah, the stone ring is alive!  We cut to the SGC, where Carter explains that this planet (P2X 416) is the first hit they've had with her new Cold Address program.  She explains that she designed the program so that the computer would periodically dial up Stargates they couldn't reach before, just in case someone unburied it since their first attempt.   Well, apparently that's what this planet just did.  

Back on P2X 416, a girl named Mallin wants to leave the site and report what they've found to the others; the guy (named Nyan) wants to stay and see what's happening.  The vortex opens and Nyan walks up to touch the event horizon, commenting that it looks like water but doesn't feel like it.  At that moment the MALP comes through, scaring both scientists.  In the SGC, Daniel straps on a microphone and talks to the two through the MALP.  He then requests permission of General Hammond to go to P2X 416 and speak to people since they seem to be of a similar level of technology as Earth.  O'Neill points out that there's no DHD to be seen anywhere in the MALP's transmission, and Hammond tells them to go ahead to the planet, just take a Naquada reactor with them so they can dial the gate manually if needs be.

Nyan, meanwhile, tells Mallin that he thinks they just found the Gateway.  Mallin says no, it's only an Optracan legend, and that it's dangerous to stick around and see what the Gate does next.  After all, if the Optracans are right and this is the Gateway...that means they are wrong.  Through the MALP, Daniel tells them to stay close to the Gate, just avoid the vortex when it opens again.  They'll be there in a few minutes.  Mallin runs away to tell the others what they've found, and we cut to the credits.

So next we know, SG-1 is stepping through the Gate, where they finally meet a rather stunned Nyan face-to-face.  Daniel introduces everyone and tells him that they're from a planet called Earth.  Nyan then comments that the legend must be true if they're from another planet.  A rival continent, named Optraca, believe that humans were brought to their planet by aliens who traveled through a Gateway, but during an upheaval (a period of violent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions 2,000 years earlier), the Gateway was buried.  Nyan, on the other hand, is from a continent named Medrosia, who believe that all human life on the planet originated on their continent.  Apparently, Medrosia and Optraca have been fighting for many, many years due to this vastly different system of beliefs.  O'Neill tells Carter to make sure the Naquada reactor's all hooked up just in case there's trouble and Teal'c wanders off to take a look around.

While wandering, Teal'c sees a number of airborne ships approaching their location and shouts a warning to the others.  O'Neill asks Nyan about them, learns they're sent by a not-so-nice group of Medrosians, and orders Carter to dial Earth, but to no avail--it'll still take five more minutes to get the reactor fully hooked up and working.  Upon Nyan's urging, Daniel, Carter, and O'Neill start to run, but they're too late.  While Nyan escapes, the ships trap the others with a force field.  Teal'c fires at the ship, but even that doesn't help.  The force field closes in around them until it touches them and they all fall to the ground, stunned.

Next we know, O'Neill, Carter, and Daniel are on their hands and knees in front of a group of Medrosians.  O'Neill tells them they come in peace, but none of the guards seem to be buying it.

Teal'c, meanwhile, is hidden away behind some trees, watching a Medrosian look for him.  A guard approaches behind him, Teal'c turns to fire at him, but as he's killing the man, he's shot in the face with an electrical blast and falls to the ground, unconscious.

The leader of this Medrosian band finally arrives, a man named Reigar.  He calls Mallin out of his shuttle to explain what happened.  She says the three people (SG-1) are aliens who came through the Gateway, but Reigar says no, it's only a trick by the Optracans to try to make them doubt their beliefs--they're only Optracan spies, not aliens.  Mallin says the one named Daniel spoke to them through a machine and Reigar sends her back to the shuttle to be further questioned.  He is convinced that either Nyan shot at his craft earlier or else there is a fourth Optracan spy out there who needs to be found.

Reigar's female assistant, Parcy, takes out three rather nasty looking needles and injects one into each of the three prisoners.  Reigar then asks them who they are and where they came from; they tell him, although he doesn't believe a word they say and still claims that they're all Optracan spies.  They erect a quarantine field around the area and take SG-1 to be further questioned.

Back to Teal'c, who is finally waking up.  Noticing that someone is kneeling over him, he reaches up and grabs the person by the neck, but it turns out to be Nyan.  Teal'c asks Nyan what happened to his friends; Nyan says they were captured.  Teal'c wants to free them, but there's just one little problem...he's gone blind.  Uh oh.

At the quarantine field, some of Reigar's soldiers point out a patch of rocks where the scientists had begun to dig; Reigar orders them to keep digging and see what's underneath.  Meanwhile, Parcy reports that a distinguishing mark in all Medrosians' bloodstreams is missing from the prisoners.  Other than that, though, they're all human.  They then get into a discussion about what happens if the prisoners are telling the truth about where they're from and what the Gateway is used for; Reigar replies they're lying.  He refuses to believe that the Book of Nefertem (their holy book) was filled with lies and that so many of their people died for nothing.  These prisoners are spies sent to sow seeds of doubt amongst their people, that's all.  They won't tell anyone what happened there, interrogate the prisoners further, then dispose of the evidence.

Nyan takes a blind and very, very sick Teal'c to a cave where they keep supplies.  Teal'c insists that he'll be fine and Nyan gives him some water.  They talk for awhile, Teal'c learns that these people believe they were created on Medrosia by a god named Nefertem, and Teal'c replies that Nefertem was the Blue Lotus Blossom of Ra, an under system lord who probably brought this group of humans to the planet as slaves many thousands of years ago.  Nyan says that's exactly what the Optracans believe--oops, you mean the Medrosians are wrong while the Optracans are right?  Nyan tells Teal'c that he has to report this to his colleagues at the research academy and Teal'c will be his proof that what he says is true.  Teal'c, however, refuses to be Nyan's proof and insists that they free his friends.  Unfortunately, Teal'c is in absolutely no condition to do that, and Nyan goes off to get a device that should help Teal'c get better.  Teal'c tries to stop him from leaving, but he can't see.  He walks into a wall of the cave, startling a number of bat-like animals, then finally collapses pitifully to the ground.

SG-1 is not having a good day.  Reigar has put them each in their own little cage, the walls of which will electrocute them if they touch them.  O'Neill kicks one and receives a zap that, well, in his own words, hurts.  Such a bright guy he is, isn't he? =)

Back in the cave, Teal'c is gripping his staff weapon as if for dear life, hearing a whole lot of unfriendly noises but unable to see anything.  The poor guy is actually afraid.

We cut back to SG-1in their nice little cages.  Reigar demands an explanation from them about the Gateway, which they give him (each in their own unique way with a rather humorous pan between the three of them as they talk), although he doesn't buy a word of what they're saying.  Poor Daniel gets zapped by an electrical staff weapon a few times for speaking some heresy, but in the end none of them give away Teal'c's presence on the planet.

Teal'c is still sitting in the cave and pulls out his larval Goa'uld, but quickly puts it back when Nyan returns and asks what the heck he's doing.  Nyan says Daniel had told him all of them were human...but what Teal'c was doing certainly didn't look human.  Teal'c doesn't want to talk about it.  Nyan says he brought back a device to heal Teal'c's eye damage, but as far as he knows, it only works on humans.  Eventually, Teal'c reveals that yes, he is an alien, but his body should heal on its own once his symbiote (who was badly damaged when he fired at the Medrosian) heals itself.  However, if the symbiote dies, Teal'c too will die.

In the camp, Reigar enters the tent where SG-1 is being held and pulls Daniel from his cage, dragging him outside to see the Medrosian that Teal'c had killed earlier.  He asks how this man died; Daniel replies that he doesn't know.  Reigar then drags him over to the newly-unburied DHD and asks him to explain that.

Back to Teal'c, who asks Nyan what's going to happen to his friends.  Nyan replies that they're proof that everything the Medrosians believe is wrong and, because of that, they'll probably be killed.  Military minds can't accept that they're wrong that easily.  Teal'c demands that they leave soon to rescue them, but Nyan reminds him that he's blind and it'll be a suicide mission.  Teal'c says Nyan only wants to use him as proof that his beliefs are wrong...wouldn't he be better off if Teal'c is dead as well so there was no proof that he's wrong?  Nyan explains that proof that his theories are wrong is just as exciting as proof that they're right.  This statement reminds Teal'c of Daniel and he finally gives in, letting Nyan treat his eyes.  Slowly but surely, he regains some sight.  They'll do the treatment as many times as necessary to heal Teal'c's eyes, but they must wait between treatments.

O'Neill and Carter are brought back to their cages (presumably having been asked the same questions Daniel had been asked earlier) and Reigar continues interrogating Daniel.  Daniel insists that they don't have a fourth companion and aren't Optracan spies; Reigar takes one of their zat guns and shoots Carter.  He asks Daniel again; Daniel gives the same reply.  This time Reigar shoots O'Neill, who leans back into the wall of the cage and continues to be electrocuted.  Finally Reigar is called away because something's happening to the Stargate and he shuts off the electricity on the cage, sparing O'Neill's life, to Daniel's great relief.

So Reigar heads outside, where he finds that the Stargate is activating again.  Hammond tries to send a message through to SG-1 over the transmitter and, when Reigar answers, Hammond says he wants to talk to Colonel O'Neill.  Not surprisingly, Reigar doesn't let him.

We cut back to the caves where Nyan has just given Teal'c another eye treatment.  Teal'c can now faintly see his hand and, happy with this improvement, he says it's time to free his friends.  Nyan explains that their first problem is going to be getting inside the quarantine field--the only way to get inside is in a shuttle.  Teal'c says that's not a problem, they'll just steal a shuttle.  Oh yeah, sure, no problem.

Reigar, meanwhile, is still chatting with Hammond and asks how they're creating the water projection within the stone circle.  Hammond assures them it's not a projection and once again demands to talk to Colonel O'Neill.  Reigar replies that if they give up and tell them their position on the planet, he'll consider freeing Hammond's "operatives."  In the SGC, the technician activates the MALP's image and they see Daniel, waving to them from inside his cage.  Unfortunately, Parcy notices that the MALP is moving and heads into the tent where SG-1 is being kept.  Reigar tells Hammond that if he attempts any kind of rescue, his people will die.  He then shoots the MALP with his zat gun and tells Parcy that they're going to move the prisoners to a more secure position.

Teal'c and Nyan see a shuttle approaching and fire on it to get its attention.  Once it lands, they take out the two passengers and steal the shuttle.  Guess when Teal'c says he'll do something, he'll do it, huh?

Reigar says he'll accompany the prisoners back to their base and tells Parcy to stay behind and guard the Gateway, but before they can do this they see the shuttle approaching.  When it lands (well, actually, in a neat special effects moment, crashes to the ground), Teal'c and Nyan attack them.  Nyan manages to free O'Neill and the others, they lay down fire while Daniel dials out from the DHD, and in the end everyone makes it through the Stargate back to earth, although before they do, Nyan is hit by one of those electric staff blasts.  They drag him back with them anyway.

Ah, finally, everyone's back safely on Earth!  Fraiser says Teal'c is lucky Junior is so resilient.  Nyan, likewise, will be fine.  They both just need rest.  O'Neill and company enter the infirmary and tell Nyan that the Air Force has granted him refugee status; Daniel then says that he could really use a research assistant what with all the ancient artifacts teams have found on mission...would Nyan be interested?  His smile indicates that he is, and O'Neill, Daniel, and Carter leave to let the two patients rest.  Nyan and Teal'c thank each other and Teal'c assures him that if the situation on Medrosia ever improves, he will accompany Nyan back and be his "proof" that life did not originate on Medrosia.

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Review: 9/10
Plot:

Realism:

Action:

Angst Level:

Special Effects:

Set and Costumes:

O'Neill factor:

Daniel factor:

Carter factor:

Teal'c factor:

Overall Team factor:

My Thoughts:

Related Episodes: Naquada reactor came from "Learning Curve."

Daniel Jackson's History/Linguistic/Mythology Lesson:

Sam Carter's Physics Lesson:

Important Stargate Information:

Alien Species/Background:

Important everyday life stuff we learn from Stargate:

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Quotes:
Nyan, about the approaching ships: "They are my people, the Medrosians."
O'Neill: "Good guys?"
Nyan: "Good is not the first word I would use to describe the ones who approach."

O'Neill: "Would you believe we come in peace?"  No one answers.  "Got a commanding officer around here?"  Still no one answers.  "Wow, tough crowd."
Carter: "What happened to Nyan?"
O'Neill: "I'd imagine he's saving his own butt right about now."

O'Neill: "Okay, that's a needle.  OWW."

Reigar: "Which of you is Daniel?"
O'Neill: "I'm in command.  Colonel Jack O'Neill here."
Reigar: "I am unfamiliar with that Optracan designation."
Carter: "We're not Optracan.  We're explorers from another planet."
Daniel: "We travel through the Stargate."
Reigar: "This type of psychological warfare, simulating the Optracan Gateway fallacy to undermine our most basic beliefs, will not work."
O'Neill: "Yeah, I know that could be hard to believe.  So why don't you let us show you how the Stargate works and if you're still not convinced, we'll just...take our stuff and go.  Fair enough?"

Teal'c, grabbing Nyan by the neck: "State your purpose."
Nyan: "Nyan."  Teal'c lets him go.
Teal'c: "Where are my friends?"
Nyan: "Captured."
Teal'c: "I will not leave my friends."
Nyan: "We can't get to them.  Reigar set up a quarantine field.  And as soon as he finds us all here...."  He watches as Teal'c gropes around for his staff weapon, then finally picks it up and hands it to him.  "You are blind."

Parcy: "What if they're telling the truth?  What if it is a Gateway and the Optracans are right?"
Reigar: "No.  It's a lie."
Parcy: "But how can you be sure?"
Reigar: "I am sure because we have not spent our lives praying to a god who does not exist and many of our people have not lost their lives fighting a meaningless war.  I won't accept that.  I have studied the book of Nefertem word for word.  Cover to cover.  It is the truth."
Parcy: "What if it's not?"
Reigar: "It is the truth.  We began here.  That device is a fabrication to aid the Optracan myth."
Parcy: "To what end?"
Reigar: "To sow the seeds of doubt among our people.  To create dissension from within.  I will not allow our people to have their faith attacked in such a cynical way."

Nyan: "It's amazing how one discovery can change everything.  For years I had been searching for proof that we were created on this continent by Nefertem."
Teal'c: "Nefertem?  The Blue Lotus Blossom of Ra?"
Nyan: "He is represented in our texts by a blue lotus blossom.  But what is Ra?  and how do you know about Nefertem?"
Teal'c: "Nefertem was an under system lord to the one named Ra...with whom I did battle."
Nyan: "I don't understand.  Nefertem was and is the creator of all of us.  He created this planet and this great continent."
Teal'c: "Correction.  Nefertem was an alien who most likely brought your people through the Stargate as slaves many thousands of years ago."
Nyan: "That is what the Optracans say."
Teal'c: "Then they are correct."
Nyan, murmurs a prayer starting with, "Oh, dear Nefertem," but I can't understand the rest so we'll conveniently skip that line <g>.  He then continues: "But if it is true, then it could change everything.  I must show my colleagues at the research academy."
Teal'c: "Can you be certain they will believe you?"
Nyan: "They are scientists as I am.  They will realize they are wrong when presented with the evidence."
Teal'c: "Your military has the Stargate in its command."
Nyan: "Not the Gateway.  You.  You are the proof."
Teal'c: "I will not be the proof!  And I will not allow my friends to be imprisoned as they are!  You must help me rescue them."

O'Neill, kicking the wall of his cage and receiving a nasty shock: "Ow!  Hey!  That hurts."
Daniel: "Well, this day just keeps getting better and better."
O'Neill: "Yeah."

O'Neill: "We should talk."
Reigar: "Let us talk about your friend in the woods."
O'Neill: "I have no friends.  In the woods or otherwise."
Daniel: "We're not spies.  We're peaceful explorers.  We travel through what you call your Gateway."
Carter: "Find, the Stargate then, but that's what we came through."
Reigar: "All four of you?"
Carter: "All three of us."
Reigar: "It is impossible for one to travel to other planets, much less through a circle of stone."
Carter: "The Stargate isn't made of regular stone.  If given enough power, a wormhole forms within the circle and that allows us to travel to other worlds."
Reigar: "Wormhole?"
O'Neill: "Giant worms.  Huge."
Daniel: "Wormhole is just an expression.  It has nothing to do with worms.  It's a tunnel through space."
Reigar: "And how is this illusion of water created that I have heard described?"
Daniel: "Well, you're right in that, it is an illusion, it's not actually water."
Reigar: "Then what is it?"
O'Neill: "Magic."
Carter: "It's an event horizon made up of quantum particles that form a wormhole."
Daniel: "An alien race, the Goa'uld, use the Stargate to transport humans from Earth to other planets, which is how your people came to be on Medrosia."  Reigar zaps him with his staff.
Reigar: "My people began on Medrosia, as did yours.  We were all created by Nefertem."
Daniel: "Nefertem?  Son of Sakhmet, blue lotus blossom?  That's who you believe created you?"
Reigar: "Yes."
Daniel: "Well, he must have been a Goa'uld."
Reigar: "A what?"
Daniel: "An alien.  He must've transported your people through the Stargate...." Reigar zaps him again.
Reigar: "Optracan fallacy."

Nyan, seeing Teal'c reaching into his pouch where Junior is located: "What are you doing?"
Teal'c: "Come no further!"
Nyan: "Daniel said you were all human."
Teal'c: "Speak of it no more."
Nyan: "What are you?"
Teal'c: "As I have said, speak of it no more.  I did not believe you would return."
Nyan: "You are the most important thing that has ever happened to my planet, although I have not yet decided if it is a good thing or bad.  I brought something for your eyes.  It is a healing device that, among other things, can regenerate the visual nerves.  It will help most of your sight return within a day.  Of course, it was designed for humans, so how you will respond is...."
Teal'c: "I have no need for it.  My sight will return on its own."
Nyan: "Because you're alien?"
Teal'c: "The others are human.  I am a Jaffa.  My system within me is a symbiote who accelerates healing."
Nyan: "Forgive me but you do not appear to be healing at all."
Teal'c: "My symbiote was severely damaged by my own staff weapon blast.  It must first heal itself."
Nyan: "How long will that take?"
Teal'c: "It could be days."
Nyan: "Might it not die itself?"
Teal'c: "It is possible."
Nyan: "And if that happens?"
Teal'c: "Then I too will die."

Teal'c: "What do your people intend to do with my friends?"
Nyan: "They are evidence that everything my people believe in is wrong and everything the enemy believes is right.  And that is not an easy thing for military minds to digest."
Teal'c: "Then they will kill my friends, destroy the Stargate, and deny this event ever occurred."
Nyan: "Probably."
Teal'c: "We must soon depart."
Nyan: "To do what?"
Teal'c: "Rescue them."
Nyan: "You're still blind!"
Teal'c: "I will manage."  Nyan takes his staff weapon and Teal'c can't see to get it back.  "Nyan!"
Nyan: "You will?"  He gives the weapon back.  "I will not be part of a suicide mission.  This device only works within the first 30 hours.  Do you want my help or not?"
Teal'c: "You wish to use me to further your scientific aspirations, do you not?"
Nyan: "You are proof that my theories have been all wrong."
Teal'c: "Then perhaps you would be better off if I were no longer alive."
Nyan: "Teal'c, I am a scientist.  When I find evidence that my theories are wrong, it is as exciting as if they were correct.  Scientific advance in either direction is still an advance."
Teal'c: "You sound like Daniel Jackson.  Do what you can."

O'Neill: "Hey, Reigar?  You know that 'we come in peace' business?  Bite me."
Reigar: "You have one last chance."
Daniel: "I don't know how that man was killed.  We are not Optracan spies."  Reigar shoots Carter with the zat gun.
Reigar: "Is there another one of your people out there?"
Daniel: "I don't know how that man was killed.  We are not Optracan...."  Reigar shoots O'Neill with the zat; he falls back against the side of the cage, where the cage continues to electrocute him.  "No there is not another one of my team out there!  Turn it off!"
Reigar: "What's he look like?"
Daniel: "Turn it off!  You'll kill him!"
Reigar: "No, you will kill him."

Nyan: "Are you sure I should be the one to do this?"
Teal'c: "You will perform well.  I am certain."

Fraiser: "Well, Teal'c, all I can say is that Junior is a resilient little guy."
Nyan: "Who is Junior?"
Teal'c: "That is the name Colonel O'Neill has given my symbiote."
Carter: "So how you feeling?"
Teal'c: "Greatly improved, Major Carter.  Thank you."
O'Neill, to Nyan: "Here's some good news.  The Air Force has agreed to get you refugee status, which means you can stay here on Earth with us.  If you'd like."
Nyan: "What would I do here?"
Daniel: "Well, I think we've got a little job for you, Nyan, if you're interested.  I have a backlog of ancient artifacts gathered from previous missions and I could really use a research assistant.  It'd also be a great way to learn about the history of your ancestors."
Fraiser: "But for now you both need to rest."
O'Neill: "And we'll leave you to that."  Carter, Daniel, and O'Neill leave the infirmary.
Nyan: "Thank you, Teal'c."
Teal'c: "You have saved my life as well as my friends.  It is I who should thank you."
Nyan: "I still wish I could've shown you my friends in the science community.  They would've been fascinated."
Teal'c: "Perhaps one day the situation on your planet will improve...and you will get that opportunity."

Shades of Grey

Maternal Instinct